Christmas 2015 - A brief update

Richard’s traditional crazy Christmas Letter is taking a year off, and he reports it will probably return next year.

In its place, here is an update on our family.

Rachel and Shiloh’s family lives in Bozeman, Montana now.  Rachel is involved with Public Relation events for her church, is the choir director and is teaching lessons for her church’s women’s group.  She is an amazing mother and is always doing creative things with her children.  Shiloh is still working for the Government.  He has created a great gym in their garage and enjoys including Harper and Sam in his workouts.   Harper is 6, enjoying kindergarten, loves playing with her brother Sam and taking Ballet lessons.  Sam is 3 and loves riding his bike, playing with Legos and puzzles.  Magnus (Gus) joined Rachel’s family on April Fool’s day.  At 8 months old now he is, no joking, the happiest baby I have ever seen.  He laughs and giggles at most anything.

Arrin and Marcus’ family lives in Walnut Creek, California.   Arrin is still working for the Gap Corporation doing analysis work.  Marcus continues to work and travel often for Deloitte.  Their son, Jonah, is 20 months old.  He loves to do everything.  He runs and plays pretend football.  He also loves trains.

Ben is an undergraduate in the business school at BYU, studying Marketing and Statistics.  He still enjoys photography and has enjoyed spending time with friends in taking their wedding photos and business photos.  He spent most of his summer in Peru with Help International, providing service and photographing the beauty of that country.

Rochelle continues to work as a Substitute Teacher in Fairfax County and at Appletree Nursery School.  She has especially enjoyed her assignment with planning activities with the teenage girls at her church.  She planned a trip for the girls (over 25 of them) to Solomon’s Island for sailing, crabbing, and hiking.  They have helped to keep happiness around her.

Richard works hard and has fun doing so.  Fortunately his brain seems to be functioning just fine.  He has good friends and loves his family.

We have all felt such a profound loss at Chris’s passing.  We know Chris wouldn’t want us to hold onto the sadness and wouldn’t want us to lose our faith and our joy for living.  We love him and in his honor are choosing to carry on with strength and hope.  We know he would want us to.